He found a strong opponent in David Levi (1742‒1808), a _Hebraist_ and well-known author of books dealing with Jewish theology and ritual. In his controversies with believers and non-believers David Levi attempted to show that the divine mission of the prophets was fully established by the present dispersion of the Jews. He published a reply――_Letters to Dr. Priestley, in answer to those he addressed to the Jews_; London, 1787 (Appendix xlix)――in which the orthodox standpoint of passive, religious Zionism is defined in the following terms: “And, as all the calamities that were to befall our nation, in consequence of our transgressing the Law, as foretold by that great prophet, and divine legislator, _Moses_, have been fulfilled in all respects; consequently, those great and glorious promises, also foretold by the same prophet, must likewise have their full completion. “But the exact time of this accomplishment is not known to any, save the eternal God Himself;... These prophecies, Sir, are our consolation in this long, and dreadful captivity, and have been our support, in enabling us to bear up against the many grievous and miserable persecutions, we have suffered....” (_pp._ 2‒3). In this way Levi withdraws Messianism altogether from human experience and the operation of the ordinary laws of thought. On the other hand, William Whiston (1667‒1752),¹ Bishop Robert Lowth (1710‒1787)² and Dr. Philip Doddridge (1702‒1751),³ supported the idea of a speedy restoration of the Jews, and, with the exception of the liberal-minded Whiston, adopted the conversionist view. There was, unfortunately, too much hasty and captious objection on the one hand, and of settled and inveterate prejudice on the other; too strong a tendency to lose sight of the broader features of the main question in the eagerness to single out particularly salient points of attack. Nevertheless, the steady progress of the Zionist idea is unmistakable on both sides of the controversy. Regardless of all these polemical discussions, public opinion began to understand that Zionism was not opposed to and did not interfere with the Christian Millennium or the Jewish _Messiah_, but was simply a definite conception of the way in which humanity has to prepare for the realization of the great ideal. ¹ The Literal Accomplishment of Scripture Prophecies..... IV. Natural Preparations ... for the Restoration of the Jews,... By Will. Whiston, M.A. ... London: ... MDCCXXIV. ² Isaiah, A New Translation; With a preliminary dissertation and notes, critical, philological, and explanatory. By Robert Lowth, D.D. ... Lord Bishop of London.... London:... MDCCLXXVIII. ³ The Works of the Rev. P. Doddridge, D.D. Volume viii.... The Epistle of St. Paul to the Romans;... Leeds:... 1805. CHAPTER XVIII. LORD BYRON